The Mountain of Ice and Fire

"That white mist is miasma. Don't stand downwind of it," Elder Jeremiah said, pointing to a cloud of vapor ahead.

"What happens if you're caught in the miasma?" Brienne asked, her tone serious.

"You'll vomit, feel weakness in your limbs, and in severe cases, faint."

"I've heard of even more deadly miasma," Anguy said.

"Yes, the peach-colored miasma, we call it the 'Demon's Kiss.' If it so much as brushes against you, both people and livestock will immediately fall into a coma. If you don't drag them to a place with clear, flowing air and administer aid promptly, both will surely die."

"I think I see a Demon's Kiss," the Mountain said from atop his tall warhorse. "Everyone, be careful. There's a patch of Demon's Kiss moving in the woods ahead."

"Hah!" the soldiers replied in unison.

Jian Ni rode a Peninsula mare, pure white, not very tall, but with a spirited air, swift in its gallop. Its confident presence was not much different from the Mountain's top-tier steed.

"The Bilka Swamp is just ahead. Everyone be careful. Besides the Demon's Kiss, there's also 'Suffocation Ghost,' a pure black mist, foul-smelling and putrid. Its toxicity isn't strong, but it makes it impossible to open your mouth, nose, or eyes upon smelling it. Even if rescued, you won't be able to eat for half a month, vomiting whatever you consume. People who are caught in the Suffocation Ghost often die of suffocation, experiencing hallucinations of ghosts and shadows. Suffocation Ghost is the least toxic of the miasma, yet it kills the most people."

"So, it's just incredibly foul and then hallucinogenic?" Zelly asked curiously.

"Yes, the rotten stench is unbearable. We don't fear encountering Suffocation Ghost during the day; we just avoid it when we see it coming. It's the night we fear. It drifts over silently and invisibly, enveloping the camp. By the time people smell it, it's already too late."

"Is there no antidote?" the Mountain asked, frowning slightly. The Clegane army didn't fear battle or beasts, but they couldn't fight this miasma. If they encountered it, they could only run or fall to the ground and hope to survive.

He didn't want to lose his elite Clegane cavalry to the miasma before even seeing the Red Smoke.

"I have prepared an antidote, but we have too many people. The Clegane army and Warner warriors number over four hundred, and this antidote is only enough for about twenty people."

"Then perhaps we shouldn't venture too deep into the swamp," the Mountain said, looking at Jian Ni for her opinion.

Jian Ni nodded in agreement.

Kom Warner, standing beside Jian Ni, said, "The warriors of all the Peninsula tribes have come to the Bilka Swamp. It's good for us to stay on the periphery. They're hunting fiercely inside, and the Red Smoke Beast will inevitably run out."

"The Red Smoke isn't afraid of the miasma?" the Mountain asked, somewhat surprised. As a transmigrator, his knowledge of unicorns was fragmented. The world's trajectory had changed, and he didn't really understand the beast itself, other than its name.

"The elders have passed down stories that the Red Smoke grows up in the Demon's Kiss miasma," Elder Jeremiah said. "The Red Smoke Beast that our Warner tribe's Warner King once captured was in the miasma in the swamp, inside the Demon's Kiss."

The Mountain and his generals exchanged glances.

The swamp was already deadly enough, with venomous snakes and fierce beasts, but to capture the Red Smoke in the miasma was like dancing with the devil in hell.

"I imagine the Warner King had an antidote to the miasma."

"Yes, he and his three heroes took the miasma antidote and entered the Demon's Kiss miasma, where no one dared to go, to hunt the Red Smoke. It was a feat that no one had the courage to do. In the miasma, even with an antidote, people would still be poisoned by breathing in the miasma. However, the Warner King succeeded. After obtaining the Red Smoke Beast, the Warner King later rode it and unified the Peninsula with heavy axe cavalry. That was the most glorious era of the Warner tribe," the Elder said, his face shining, his tone full of longing. It seemed he wanted to return to the era of the Warner King!

"We still shouldn't enter the depths of the swamp," Jian Ni suggested to the Mountain. The Mountain's armor and shield, combined with his body weight and warhorse, would be difficult for the swamp to bear, even in areas without quicksand. "Of course, if the Warner warriors want to enter, we will be outside to support you."

"Let's first see the layout of the other tribes, and then make a decision based on the actual situation," the Mountain said. "What exactly is so magical about the Red Smoke?"

The team slowed down and slowly entered the Bilka Swamp. Tribal guides led the way, so everyone didn't have to worry about getting trapped in quicksand, which was a bottomless abyss.

"Lord Duke, I heard my father say that the Red Smoke's sweat is like our blood. If weak children eat it, they can grow into the tribe's strongest warriors," Kom Warner said. "Our family ancestors ate the sweat-blood of the Red Smoke. People of our lineage are stronger than other tribes, and the tribe's warriors are incredibly strong and skilled at using double-edged heavy axes."

The Mountain thought of Kom's father and uncles, who were all strong men who used heavy axes, and Kom's uncle was even stronger, with arms and bodies that seemed to be cast from rock.

The Mountain glanced at Jian Ni, and Jian Ni nodded slightly. The Mountain understood that the rumors Kom spoke of were true.

Sweat like red blood?!

The Mountain thought of a phrase: blood-sweating horse!

The Warner King carving in Kom's arms, the shape of the Red Smoke Beast, was a horse, the only difference being its bright red fur and a sharp, pointed horn in the center of its head.

"Drinking the Red Smoke's sweat is so magical?" Anguy said in surprise. "Then if you eat a piece of meat..."

Before he could finish speaking, Anguy felt the dagger-like gazes from the Warner tribe people.

The Elder, young Chieftain Kom, and the Warner warriors all looked at Anguy with dissatisfaction.

Anguy immediately felt awkward and laughed loudly, "Sorry, sorry, Warner warriors, I was just joking."

The Elder said, "General Anguy, the closer we get to the swamp, the less we should say such ominous words. The Red Smoke is a divine beast, and it will hear our disrespect and launch a surprise attack on us. It will kill people."

"Is that a rumor or is it true?" the Mountain asked.

"Of course it's true, Lord Duke," the Elder said respectfully.

"Clegane's soldiers, from now on, do not say disrespectful words about the Red Smoke Beast."

"Hah!" the soldiers replied in unison.

Anguy didn't think so in his heart. In his mind, he chopped the Red Smoke Beast's fur, bones, good meat from its front and hind legs, guts, etc., into pieces with knives and swords, then brought a large pot, stewed the entire Red Smoke Beast that he had never met and had no grudges against, and invited all the refugees in Flea Bottom to come and eat a large bowl.

Thinking of the wonderful scene, Anguy smiled.

Ahead, there was a rapid stream, and a warrior's body lay face down on the water, drifting downstream.

Denson jumped off his horse, fished the body out, and turned it over. The generals were all shocked. The body's face was bitten beyond recognition by something, looking extremely cruel.

"We've seen injuries like this," Ser Gladden said.

"Yes, on the roadside not far from entering the Warner tribe's territory, half of a villager's face had such injuries," Alyn said.

"This is the work of the Red Smoke Beast," the Elder said definitively. "This warrior was either alone, or a scout, or said something disrespectful to the Red Smoke Beast, was targeted by the Red Smoke Beast, and met his doom."

Denson said in surprise, "The Bilka Swamp and the edge of the Warner territory are two hundred miles apart, right? This Red Smoke Beast really is elusive. Why does everyone think it's in this swamp now?"

"Every tribe has skilled trackers, and the Red Smoke Beast is the easiest to track. The road it travels leaves a particularly different trail. We have received definite news that the Bilka Swamp is the Red Smoke Beast's territory. No matter where it goes outside to play, it will eventually come back here."

"Elder, what special abilities does the Red Smoke Beast have?" Brienne asked.

The Elder replied, "The cliffs that even the best warhorses can't climb, the Red Smoke can. Once it starts running, it won't slow down for days and nights. How many miles can the fastest horse run in a day? A mature Red Smoke Beast can easily climb mountains and wade through water for thousands of miles in a day."

The generals were in an uproar, all surprised.

The Mountain looked at Jian Ni, and Jian Ni conveyed her meaning with her eyes. The Mountain was shocked. Jian Ni told him that although it was an exaggeration to say that the Red Smoke could run thousands of miles a day, it could run about fifteen hundred miles or more on a flat road in a day and night. Thinking about how the Red Smoke Beast could run like this for several days in a row, the shock in the Mountain's heart was no less than that of any general.

"What about the Red Smoke Beast's explosive power?" the Mountain pretended to be indifferent and asked the Elder casually.

"As fast as lightning, unstoppable! If we see the Red Smoke in front of us now, and you draw your sword and make an attack, but before your sword is raised, it will have already rushed in front of you, crushed your head, and kicked down your warhorse! By the time you fall, you may only have seen a red shadow from beginning to end."

"Look at the soldier's chest armor dented in, there are hoof prints on it," Denson said, pointing to the soldier's corpse.

The Mountain looked over and saw a chest armor that was almost kicked to pieces, a deep dent, spiderweb-like cracks, and a large, torn gash.

What a fierce kick!

Suddenly, the Mountain felt an uncontrollable desire: he wanted to obtain the Red Smoke!

*

The team crossed the rapids and continued forward.

A team of cavalry flashed out of the woods ahead. The Mountain noticed that these cavalrymen all had armor protection. He estimated that because they had entered the Red Smoke Beast's territory, the soldiers of each tribe had gathered all the tribe's armor to protect themselves.

"Which tribe are you from?" the leader, wearing a wolf-shaped helmet, shouted.

The Elder stepped forward: "Warner Tribe."

"The Warner Tribe has already entered, the leader is Warner's first warrior, Stanbeck Warner, who are you?"

A dozen cavalrymen blocked the road ahead.

"Warner Elder Jeremiah." The Elder took out his Elder token, which had a temple and a Red Smoke Beast pattern on it.

"Who are these people?"

"The King's Red Cloaks," Jian Ni said, her voice clear but with its own majesty. "Crab Claw Peninsula belongs to the Crownlands, you are all vassals under the King. General, which tribe are you from? Why do you dare to block the King's guard in the Crownlands?"

The other party was choked!

This was a new question, no one had ever questioned the people of Crab Claw Peninsula so confidently. Everyone knew that outsiders could not be allowed to enter Crab Claw Peninsula, but nominally and politically, Crab Claw Peninsula did belong to the Crownlands, and had for hundreds of years. They were all vassals under the King. This could not be denied, it was the truth. To deny it was treason, and what the people of Crab Claw Peninsula were proud of was their loyalty.

First swearing allegiance to the Dragon family, and later submitting to Robert Baratheon.

In terms of verbal confrontation, the other party was obviously no match for Jian Ni.

"...Madam..." Since the other party could enter Crab Claw Peninsula and travel with the Warner tribe, they were guests (passers-by) who had passed the test, "The leaders of our Peninsula tribes are gathered here, there are important matters to discuss, please Madam and your guard avoid this place."

"The King's guard can go anywhere in the Crownlands. May I ask, Chief, is the Bilka Swamp your tribe's private territory?"

"Uh...no..."

"Then get out of the way!" Jian Ni shouted sharply.

The Mountain rode forward, drew his greatsword, and with a wave to the left and right, sent the leader and a cavalryman who rushed up flying.

The two flew out like bullets, over many trees, with two loud bangs,砸在地上，一时间头晕眼花，双腿发软，挣扎不起.

The remaining scouts were stunned.

This giant was like a god, they had to look up to him. The width of the greatsword was unheard of, unseen, cold light radiated everywhere, and the cold air was terrifying.

The team continued forward, and ahead, there were old tents one after another. Soldiers came out of the tents, looking at the passing team, all with surprised expressions on their faces.

Weren't there scouts outside?

Weren't all the leaders of the Peninsula here?

Why did an army suddenly rush in, and their armor and weapons were too good? Most warriors had never seen such a neatly equipped cavalry team.

The leader of this tribe had gone to a meeting, and without a leader, the soldiers stared at the team, and no one said a word.

The team continued forward, deeper into the swampy forest. Ahead, there was another tribe's tent, but they were all vine beds hanging on the trees, the warhorses were tied to the trees, and the soldiers were chatting and drinking in small groups. The team had no sentries, no order, and was a disorganized crowd, and there seemed to be no leader on duty.

"Lord Duke, Madam, we have to find a place to set up camp, and then send out skilled trackers to find the Red Smoke Beast's whereabouts," young Chieftain Kom Warner said. He rarely spoke, but when he did, it was never nonsense.

"Good!" The Mountain also had this intention.

Walking further, there would only be more tribes. In the first tribe, the Mountain counted the number of people, less than a hundred cavalrymen, and the armor was very poor; in the second tribe, there were less than one hundred and twenty people, and the armor was also very poor. It seemed that the tribes stationed outside were weak.

In contrast, the Warner tribe was not weak. Stanbeck's cavalry was over two hundred people.

The team crossed the two small tribe's stationed areas again, and chose to set up camp on a small, shallow beach near the water. The view here was wide, and whether people or beasts came from anywhere, they would be within sight.

The sound of hooves rang out, and another group of people came. The Elder and the people of the Warner tribe greeted them.

"Warner Tribe?"

"Yes!"

"Who is the leader of the team?"

"I am! Elder Jeremiah!" the Elder said.

"Call the leader of your King's guard and come with us!"

"Where to?"

"The woods ahead, all the tribal leaders are meeting together."

"Okay, we'll be there later."